Railway trains



Feb. 18, 1958 F, M, F, HEREDlA 2,823,623

RAILWAY TRAINS Filed Jan. 2a. 195s s sheeis-sheet 1 Feb. 18, 1958 F. M. F. HEREDIA Filed Jan. 28. 1953 RAILWAY TRAINS A 5 sheets-sheet 2 o y i: n

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F. M. FQ HEREDlA 2,823,623

RAILWAY TRAINS Feb. 18,1958

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 'Fled Jan. 28. 1953 \\\\\lml||||||HlllNHllHl/l United States Patent() RAILWAY TRAINS Francisco M. F. Heredia, Madrid, Spain, assignor to gatentes Talgo, S. A., Madrid, Spain, a corporation of pam Application January 28, 1953, lSerial No.' 333,793

8 Claims. (Cl. 10S-3) This invention relates to railway trains and aims to provide a train with steered wheels which may be divided at any point so as to form two or more separate trains.

The Wheel-steering mechanism shown in my copending application Serial No. 314,813, led October 15, 1952, now Patent No. 2,782,729, is convenient for use between two cars which are to be uncoupled, since it involves the use of only one rod extending between the two cars which are connected. However, that steering mechanism depends for its correct operation upon the pivoting together of the two cars to which it is connected. Such pivoting may easily be provided in a train of two-wheel cars in which the adjacent ends of each two adjacent cars are supported upon a single running gear; but such a train cannot be broken into separate trains without eliminating the support for one end of one of the cars which are uncoupled. To avoid this, it is necessary that at least one of the intermediate cars be a four-wheel car supported on a running gear at each of its ends. It is also necessary that the two cars which are to be uncoupled have their adjacent ends overhanging the axles of their running gears in order that the two axles at the adjacent ends of the cars may not interfere with each other.

When two pivoted four-wheel cars with overhanging ends enter a curve, the four wheels of the forward car will place the pivot connecting the cars outside the median line of the track, while the four wheels of the rear car which is still on a straight track will place the connecting pivot on the median line of the track (see Fig. 1). Since the pivot cannot occupy two positions at the same time, the pivoting together of four-wheel cars with overhanging ends has heretofore been considered impossible. Consequently, steering devices which depend upon the pivoting of two cars have not heretofore been used with four-wheel cars.

My present invention overcomes these difliculties and provides for connecting cars in such manner that the wheels of the cars are steered and the cars may easily be uncoupled. My invention is based in part upon my discovery that it is possible to provide pivoted fourwheel cars capable of entering va curved track.

ln order to make the nature of my invention clear, I will describe the specific embodiment of it illustrated in the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing four-wheel cars entering a curved track;

Fig. 2 is a side View of the train embodying the invention;

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of adjacent end portions of two adjacent cars;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 showing the spring suspension;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 showing one of the radius rods;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of part of the centering mechanism for the-axle; and

Figs. 7, 8 :and 9 (on sheet 1) are detailed views of ICS the coupling embodied in one of the steering rods, Fig. 7 being a side view showing the parts of the rod in coupled position, Fig. 8 a similar view showing the uncoupled position, and Fig. 9 a plan view showing the uncoupled position.

The train shown in Fig. 2 includes two adjacent fourwheel cars, each of which has a single-axle running gear near each of its ends. The bodies 10 and 11 of the two cars are articulated by means of a traction connection c which -contains a vertical pivot c1. The two car bodies are most desirably also connected by sliding aligning connections d of the type shown in Omar Patent 2,462,666. It should be noted, however, that in the present construction the aligning connections are not also weight-bearing connections as they are in the construction shown in said patent.

The spring suspension by which the ends of the cars are supported on the axles of their running gears provide for lateral displacement of the axles and for longitudinal displacement of one end of each axle. Each running gear consists of a drop center dead axle 12 having at its ends spindles on which the wheels 14 are mounted. The weight of one end portion of the car body is carried on one of the dead axles by a spring suspension which consists of substantially vertical spring struts 15 with universal joints 16 at their ends.

Lateral displacement of each axlevis limited and controlled by a centering device 17 which includes a torsion rod 17a mounted on ythe bottom Vof the car body and having a depending arm 17b attached tol the axle by a link 17e. The link is secured to the axle at a point A near one of its ends. Lateral displacement of the axle is opposed by the resiliency of the torsion rod Aand. is limited by stops 17d (Figs. 4 and 6) in thearcuate path of the end portion of the arm 17b. By thisvmeans, the lateral displacement of the axle is limited to about 21/2 cm. away from its normal position in each direction. t,

The axles of the running gears at the adjacent ends of two adjacent cars are placed close to the ends of the cars so that the distance of each axle from the traction pivot c1 is about one meter.

As shown in Fig. 3, the centering devices 17 at the adjacent ends of two cars 10, 11 are turned in opposite directions so that the centering device mounted onthe car body 10 is attached to the axle of this carjnear the right-hand end of the axle, While the centering device on the adjacent car 11 is attached to its axle nearthe left-hand end of the axle. (Right and left are used merely in a relative sense as the train is reversible.) By virtue of this arrangement, the left-hand end of the axle of car body 10 and the right-hand end of the axleof car body 11 may be displaced forwardly and rearwardly,

Steering mechanisms of the type shown in vmy copending application Serial No. 314,813, filed October 15, 1952, are provided for both the adjacent axles. The steering mechanism illustrated is of the specic type shown in Fig. 6 of that application. Attached at points A and B near the ends of each axle are -parallel radius rods 20, 21a'of the same length, allv of which extend away from the ends of the cars. One of the radius rods connected to each of the axles, the rod 20, is pivoted to one of the carbodies at the point 'D.Vr The other radius rod 21a connected to each axle has a pivotal connection 30 with a steering rod 2lb. This connection vallows lateral as well as upV and down turning. Fore and aft movement of the connection 30 is provided by extending the steering rod 2lb slightly beyond the connection and slidably mounting it on the car body. The end of the steering rod has an enlarged portion 31 which fits loosely in a guideway 33 secured on the bottom of the car body. A pivot 35 extending through the guideway engages a vertical slot 39 in the rod. Each steering rod 2lb extends 3 outwardly beyond the car body on which it is mounted and is pivoted to the end of the adjacent car body at E. As explained in my said co-pending application, the

vwheels may be kept parallel -to -the track on curves by `making the-distance b of the point E from the axis of 'the train somewhat less than the ydistance a of the point D from the train axis, in accordance with the formula:

cars are coupled together as shown in Fig. 3 is as follows:

The operation when the cars are entering a curve will be explained in connection with the diagram, Fig. 1, which shows the car already on a curve in the track, while the car 11 is still on a straight part of the track. It will be seen from lthe diagram that in the absence of lateral displacement of the axles, the effect will be to separate the two parts of the traction pivot c1 by a distance x. The same diiiculty arises if only one of the cars has four wheels or if both the cars are two-wheel cars but have their wheel-supported ends pivoted together.

The value of x is given by the formula in Fig. 1 which shows that x is a quadratic function of the length of the overhang m and a linear function of the length l of the car between its axles. My invention takes advantage of this relationship by placing the axles close to the ends of the car or, in other words, by making the overhang m small. If the overhang is made only one meter, the cars may be made of any length up to nine meters Without making the value of x greater than 5 cm. when entering sharp curves, such as are encountered in switching and in yard operation (radius 80 meters). In the train which has been described, each axle is mounted for a lateral movement of 2%/2 cm. away from the car body axis. As a result, the car bodies are displaced laterally into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. l, so that the cars enter the curve without separating the parts of the pivotal connection c1.

The curves allowed in railroad tracks for high speed train operation have a radius of not less than three hundred meters. The two cars described can enter such a curve with a lateral displacement of the axles of only seven-tenths of a centimeter which is readily permitted by the resilient centering means and causes no difficulty in operation.

While 'the running :gears may be constructed for a lateral displacement of more than 21/2 cm. in each direction, it is undesirable to do this as it may tend to create side swing and decrease the riding comfort. The overhang permissible with a lateral displacement of not more than 21/2 cm. in each direction may be ascertained from the equation stated in Fig. 1 by substituting 80 meters for R and 5 cm. for x. This gives the equation from which the permissible overhang for any selected car length may easily be determined.

The operation of the wheel-steering mechanism which has been described is to `maintain one end of each axle in xed longitudinal relation to the car body under which it is mounted and thefother end of each axle in fixed longitudinal relation to the adjacent car body. This, as explained in my aforesaid cofpending application, results in keeping the wheels parallel to the rails both on straight tracks and on curves when the points D and Eare position as above described, and in causing the outer wheels to attack the `outer rail at a slight negative angle when they are entering a curve, the point at which danger of derailment is greatest. Also, as explained in my said application, the steering mechanism may be used to make the outer wheels attack the rail at a slight negative angle throughout a curve when this is desired by changing the relativedistance from the axis of the points D and E. Furthermore, the two radius rods 20, 21a form a parallelogram with the axle and the car body so that the lateral movements of the axle permitted by the centering device 17 do not cause any angular movement of the axle which would modify the operation of the steering mechanism.

The cars 10 and 11 may easily be uncoupled whenever this is desired in order to break the train into two sepparate trains or for any other reason. In the uncoupling operation which is normally effected on the straight track, each of the steering rods 2lb is secured to the car under which it is mounted in the position which it occupies on a straight track so that it serves. to hold the axle with which it is connected perpendicular to the axis of the car body when its end is disconnected from the adjacent car body.

To facilitate this operation, each steering rod 2lb may be formed of two parts 40 and 41, as shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9.

The parts 40 and 41 are coupled together into a rigid rod by a bolt 42 passing through a flattened portion 43 on the rod 40, which is provided with projecting ribs 44, and a attened portion 45 on the part 41, which is provided with corresponding recesses 46. The part 40 of the rod has an enlarged portion 48 containing a vertical bore 49 which lies directly under a hole in a bracket 50 secured to the car body 10 under which thevpart 40 is mounted when the axle is perpendicular to the axis of the car.

When the cars are to be uncoupled, the bolt 42 is removed and a bolt is placed through the bracket S0 and bore 49 to lock the axle in perpendicular position and to hold up the end of the rod section 40. The part 41 of the rod is turned to a position parallel with the end of the car body 11 and secured to a bracket 51 by a bolt.

After the steering rods have been detached and locked in this manner, fthe traction connection c is uncoupled as are lalso the aligning slides d, if these are used. As the axle at the end of each car is then locked in perpendicular position, the cars may easily be handled for switching and like purposes or may be used as the iirst and last `cars of a divided train. No inconvenience is encountered in using a car with a locked axle at its rear end as the last car of a Itrain for it is more important to insure against derailment of the last axle than to reduce traction friction at this point.

When my invention is incorporated in a train consisting entirely of four-wheel cars, it has the advantage of facilitating uncoupling at any point in the train. My invention may also be used in articulated trains of twowheel cars where it is desired to divide the train into two trains for a pant of its run. In this case, it is necessary to use only one four-wheel car which is placed at the point in the train at which it is desired to divide the train so that the four-wheel car becomes the rst car or F the last car of the divided ltrain.

What I claim is:

1. In a railway train, the combination of two cars joined by a separable coupling having a vertical pivot located between the cars, a supporting two-wheel running gear for each car located close to its coupled end, vertically extending struts pivoted at one end to the car and at the other end to the running gear and mounting the car on the running gear for lateral displacement so that the cars may enter a curve ywithout disrupting the pivotal coupling between them, andnsteeringmechanism attached to the running gear of each car and detachably connected to the other car.

2. Two pivoted railway cars as claimed in claim 1, in which the steering mechanism for the running gear of each car incorporates parallelogram radius rods to prevent lateral displacement of the running gear from causing angular displacement thereon.

3. Two pivoted railway cars as claimed in claim 1, in which the distance from the pivotal connection to the axle of each running gear is approximately one meter, and each axle is mounted for a lateral displacement of about 21/2 cm. in each direction.

4. Two pivoted railway cars as claimed in claim 1, in which the distance m from the pivot to the axle of the running gear of each car and the length l between axles of each car have the relation 5. A railway train consisting of four-wheel cars, each having a two-wheel running gear close to each of its ends and sets of vertically extending struts supporting .the car on the running gear for lateral displacement, traction couplings between the cars each including a vertical pivot, and a steering mechanism attached to each running gear of each car and detachably connected to the adjacent car.

6. In a railway train, the `combination of two pivoted car bodies, a running gear located close to the pivoted end of each car and consisting of a pair of wheels and an axle, a supporting connection between the pivoted end of each car body and its running gear formed to permit relative lateral movement between the car body and the running gear, resilient means connected to the running gear and the car body to oppose lateral movement of the body away from a central position in relation to the running gear, and steering mechanism pivotally connected to the running gear of each car body and detachably connected to the other car body.

7. In a railway train, the combination of two coupled cars, each having near its coupled end a displaceable running gear including an axle, means on the cars for fixing the longitudinal position of a point of one running gear near one end of its axle and of a point of the other running gear near the other end of its axle, steering means attached to the axle of one car detachably connected to the other car and located wholly at IOne side of the axis of the train, and steering means attached to the axle of the other car detachably connected to the first car and located wholly at the other side -of the axis of the train.

8. The combination with two railway cars, of steering means attached to an axle of one of the cars including a steering rod detachably connected to the other car, and a releasable fastener adapted to engage said steering rod and lock said axle in a position perpendicular to the axis of the car when the steering rod is disconnected from the vother car.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,098,949 Geissen Nov. 16, 1937 

